News

Government to probe stadium deaths
Abdul Salam Sule, Ghanadot

Accra, Feb 12, Ghanadot - Following the tragic death of six supporters of Kumasi Asante Kotoko football club, at the Baba Yara stadium in Kumasi over the weekend, the President, Prof John Evans Atta Mills has called for a probe into the circumstances leading to the deaths of the soccer fans.

He said the enquiry should be carried out to ascertain the causes of the incident so that preventive measures would be instituted to avoid a recurrence.

The President made these remarks in a statement which was signed by his spokesperson, Mr Mahama Ayariga and was copied to the press.

It should be noted that, on Sunday February 8, 2009, Kumasi Asante Kotoko were defeated by their bitter rivals, Accra Hearts Oak and at the Baba Yara stadium in Kumasi during the Glo Premier legue .

Before the match could end, hundreds of football fans had felt unconscious and they were rushed to the komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital for treatment. But six were later pronounced dead upon arriving at the hospital.

The cause of the tragic death has however spark some controversy in the sport circles.

While some pundits say the death of the six was as a result of the defeat Asante Kotoko suffered at the hands of Accra Hearts Oak, others think that the Kotoko fans died out of suffocation.

The President however conceded in his statement that the death may be as a result of suffocation and the over crowded stadium on that day was attested to that.
He has therefore consoled the bereaved families and expressed his sympathies to all those who were injured or have suffered various medical conditions resulting from the incident.

The statement said"The President acknowledges the effort of the security agencies and other well meaning members of the public to ameliorate the situation, but believes an enquiry is needed to ascertain the cause of the deaths".

Meanwhile, information gathered by ghanadot indicates that, one of the deceased has been identified as Oteng Bruce, a resident of Konum, a suburb of Kumasi.

Until his death, Bruce was a final-year student of the University College of Education, Winneba and teacher at the Komfo Anokye Senior High School in Kumasi.

All the dead bodies have been deposited at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital mortuary and they would be released to their families for burial after a post- moterm has been conducted.

Ghanadot